Dear Shumail..

Chapter 1

1st August, 2018

With slow gentle steps, he walked to his parent's grave. As he neared the graves, he looked at the two graves adjacent to each other.

Covering both the graves with rose petals and sprinkling rose water on them, he sat at the foot of them.

"Assalamualaikum Ammi. Assalamualaikum Abbu." Shumail greeted. "I always miss the feeling of having both of you with me but it is this day that I feel it the most." He spoke with a soft smile.

"Very good Abbu. To be with Ammi you left your son all alone huh?" He joked. "Ammi you are so lucky. Abbu loves you so much that he went searching for you in the hereafter as well. I pray that you both are together in Jannat. Aameen ya Rabb." He raised his hands and joining his palms, he made dua. After some prayers and lots of duas, he stood up, said his salam and took his leave.

As he walked out of the graveyard, he looked at the sky covered in hues of yellow and orange, resembling a fine piece of art. The sun was slowly rising and the chirping of the birds was a melody to everyone's ears.

Walking down the streets as he passed by a playground, he found kids playing, the scene in front giving a soft tug at his heart. He stood at the gates of the ground reminiscing his own childhood days with a small smile plastered on his lips.

He let out a deep breath and giving a last glance at the children playing in the ground and enjoying themselves, he resumed walking. It was a good 20 minutes walk before he turned around the corner and entered his neighbourhood. Walking to the far corner, he neared the familiar gates of his mansion. The gatekeeper opened the gates for him and he entered.

Getting the keys out of his kameez's packet, he inserted it in the keyhole and entered in the eerily silent but welcoming and familiar four walls.

"Good morning Sir. What would you like to have for breakfast?"

"Good morning Robin. I'm not really hungry. You may continue with your work." He answered his servant and headed to the stairs for his room.

Shumail didn't realised when he fell asleep but when he woke up a couple hours later, he found himself on his couch in an uncomfortable position and a pillow hugged to him. He rubbed his eyes to remove the sleep from them and ran a hand through his already messy brown hairs.

He stood up from the couch to stretch his body to release the stiffness from his muscles when a knoch on his bedroom door disturbed him.

"Come in." The bedroom door opened and in walked his servant.

"Sir there's a guest waiting for you." His servant informed.

"You do know that I don't like meeting anybody today Robin, don't you."

"Sorry Sir but it's your aunt Safia." His hand fisted by his side on the mention of the name of his guest. He exhaled sharply and turned around to the other, looking out of the open doors of his full wall window.

The weather was exceptionally chilly and the cold breeze flew with no restriction entering the dimly lit room but Shumail stood on his place with no effects of it on him.

"I'll be there in some time." He turned his face to the side as he spoke. His servant nodded his head and closing the door walked back.

A few minutes later, after he had freshened up, he got out of his room and took the stair to the living room. Halfway through the stairs, the figure of his aunt came in his view. Dressed in a knee length dress and a scarf circled around her neck with an elegant pair of heals, expensive jewellery and a handpurse that she clutched by her side, her presence screamed money.